sibling rivalry in eagles – Page 4

Angus brings Flo 8 fish… in Bird World

22 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope today’s newsletter finds all of you well – and warm. It is -30 C on the Canadian Prairies. Consequently, it is a good day to catch up on my reading and drink nice hot tea all day! As I write late Tuesday evening, the wind will be fierce, just like it is for Jackie and Shadow. It seems that winter has come with a vengeance. Payback for some of those lovely days in January, I suppose.

There continues to be a lot going on at the nests. It is often difficult to hold back and not include every one of them. As far as I am aware, everything is fine at the nests. Things are settling down at the Captiva Osprey platform. All of the eaglets are eating well. The Es did have crops, but their pickings today were slimmer than normal. Perhaps a lesson in what it is like for real eagles in the wild from Dad. The lingering question: Is there a pip at Big Bear? Certainly, many of us have thought so, but no official word has come. So we wait. Waiting can be rather painful. Then there is the question of Annie’s new man’s name. We will know soon. The Ospreys should be thinking about packing up and heading north shortly from their winter homes in Africa. Oh, goodness. Then our heads will be spinning!

In the Nests:

There are eggs on three Osprey nests with streaming cams in Florida currently. Everyone has been waiting to see what will happen at Captiva. It has certainly been a tumultuous year beginning with Hurricane Ian practically destroying everything standing on the island. The brand-new platform and camera were lost within weeks of them being finished. The original couple, Lena and Andy, are no longer in the nest. Andy disappeared during Hurricane Ian, and Lena left after seeing her nest destroyed and no Andy. Then came Mabel and Angus, the new couple. Mabel is now gone, and there is Florence, ‘Flo’ for short. These two are finally sealing a deal that will make them both bonded mates. Angus brought Flo 8 fish on Tuesday! He wants to have her as his mate. Did he have time to eat anything himself? Thanks ‘HMc’ for putting together this excellent compilation and confirming that on the morning of Wednesday, 22 February, Angus and Flo successfully mated twice. There could be eggs at Captiva. Just think. All it took was a basket of fish!

PA Farm County Bald Eagle Nest has done it again – a clutch of four eggs. While it is rare for eagles to lay clutches of 1 or 3 eggs, having a clutch of four is extremely rare. So why is this happening at this nest twice in a row? The factors determining the number of eggs laid depend on the age and health of the mother, the amount of food available in the area, and the population of other birds needing that food in the territory.

Tuesday morning saw E22 mantling a piece of leftover prey on the nest and horking that old food scrap. E22 is getting so good at cleaning the nest and finding food. It was 07:43:55.

M15 is looking better. He flew in with a piece of a rather large fish at 09:47:01. E22 was right there, and then 21 exerted its dominance. But never mind. 22 is figuring out ways to avoid 21. In this case, Dad is in the middle with one eaglet on each side. Brilliant. 22 is up to its old snatch-and-grab. And what does 22 snatch? A nice big piece of fish at the end to eat by himself while 21 merely looks on. Dad flies off at 10:17:37. That was a half-hour feeding!

The eaglets are six weeks old. We have worried about 22 for most of its life because of 21’s aggression. 22 is a survivor, giving each of us hope that he will do well in a world where the competition among eagles and other species is rampant. He steals fish and parts of fish and is unafraid to eat old prey pieces. So, when you get sad about another nest, remember how much SW Florida has changed and for good! Celebrate 22’s victories.

21 shows off its wings.

22 says he can do that, too!

There was a nice breakfast at 0952. At the end of it, at 10:19:22, E22 is self-feeding on a large chunk that he took right out from under Dad and 21’s nose. Will he pay for this later?

22 working away at that big piece of fish he snagged.

At 10:40, 22 is finished tearing at that fish. He goes over to the rim.

21 is going to eat off that piece of fish on and off until it finishes all of it around 12:58. Down goes the tail!

21 did the clean up.

M15 came in with the head on a well-eaten Armoured Catfish carcass for the eaglets at 14:59:42. E22 was up first, then 21 pushed it out of the way. 22 tried to snatch and grab, but 21 winded up with most of this fish. At 15:17:46, E22 is up and wants some fish, but it is gone. Dad leaves the nest.

22 on the left spent a bit of time ‘watching, waiting, and being careful’ when he was not in a good position to snatch-and-grab.

Two smaller pieces of ‘something’ came in at 16:24:48 and again at 18:36. E21 got the lion’s share, meaning 99%. For some reason, 22 was shy, and 21 did peck at it to stay away. We need a couple of big fish in the nest. Tomorrow – by the time you are reading this – 22 should be hungry enough to risk going for it. Fingers crossed.

18:45 and E22 is getting some bites.

Hello there!

Both Es had crops at one time during the day or another. M15 had a couple of dips in the pond. He sure needed it! Good night, Super Dad.

Breakfast arrived on Wednesday the 22nd at 08:24:42. E22 got it right this morning, and he slipped right up to the left side of Dad. It appears that both ate and had something to nibble on after. M15 you get my vote for ‘Super Dad’ of the Year.

There is an interview that sheds some light on which female has been on the branch with M15 the last couple of nights and they say it isn’t the one with the black talon!

Has-missing-SWFL-eagles-Harriet-mate-moved-on-Heres-what-we-know Download

Here is also some information for everyone:

I have just, by accident, found this book about Harriet and M15. This 483-page story chronicles the unexplained death of Sassy Pants and a second clutch from which two eaglets fledged. It looks interesting, and a copy has been ordered. I will keep you posted! (Note: Harriet and M15 have never lost an eaglet to siblicide that I am aware)

Just as M15, Anna, Louis, Alex, and Andria are doing, Connie and Clive also leave chunks of prey on the nest for the eaglets to perfect their self-feeding skills. The nest at Captiva is so dark. Peer hard. Connick has a big crop!

Elain’s highlights from a very thundery and rainy day at the Orange scrape of Diamond, Xavier, and Indigo.

The falcons in Manchester, New Hampshire feel spring arriving!

Jackie and Shadow continue incubation and the rolling of the eggs. If it is egg 2, will it pip on day 40? They can go to day 43. Did you also know that this beautiful nest is 7100 ft in elevation, making it one of the highest Bald Eagle nests in the US? It certainly explains the weather, which can go like calm and clear in the image below to blowing ice pellets in the afternoon!

Egg 1 is 42 days old today, and egg 2 is only 39 days. For Jackie and Shadow, I just want to hope that a pip is in that second egg! They deserve it but, it could take a second clutch.

No official pip confirmation yet on the FOBBV recap but…image was taken around 0742 Tuesday nest time (really blown-up image).

Is Jackie listening and rolling?

The weather turned quite windy with the sound of ice pellets (?) flying about. Jackie is tucked in tight over her precious eggs. Jackie’s beautiful white feathers are blowing about on the crown of her head. Jackie and Shadow roll the eggs and shimmy over them to get the brood patch in the right spot to transfer the warmth from the adult body to the egg.

There is an extreme weather warning for the area of the nest. Tuesday night the winds were fierce at the nest.

The wind whipped and blew and even flipped Jackie off the eggs as snow came down during the night. She has rolled the eggs and kept them warm and dry. It is day 39 today for egg 2 and day 42 for egg 1.

Pearl and Tico are learning to fly. They are also returning to the nest for food. There is now an image-within-an-image so that you can follow them as they fly on and off the natal nest in Central Florida.

It seems that Big Red is still making up her mind where to have her nest this year. Time is coming soon for eggs!

Arthur and Big Red are still working on the Fernow Light stand this morning. I hope our darling RTH has changed her mind and will raise her eyases here in 2023.

The pace of killing of raptors in the UK has not decreased. Indeed, it is now making the popular news. Recently, the sentencing of the gamekeeper, Paul Davis, in Dorset who pleaded guilty to multiple crimes, many articulated in earlier blogs this year, was laughable and will do nothing to stop these heinous crimes against raptors.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/protected-birds-shot-trapped-poisoned-29277149

That is a short summary of the nests that I have been watching a little closer than others.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams where my screen captures originated today: ‘H’, Window to Wildlife, HMc and Window to Wildlife, PA Farm Country Bald Eagles, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, News-Press, SWFlorida Eagle Cam FB, Amazon, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Manchester NH Falcon Fans, FOBBV, Superbeaks, @Cornell Hawks, The Mirror.

Ervie, SWFlorida, more eggs…Tuesday in Bird World

21 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

Oh, it is nippy cold on the Canadian Prairies. The weather people got everything turned upside down, leaving us thinking that the holiday weekend was to be warm and delightful. We also received a good bit of snow that is causing havoc over the snow that melted and turned to ice. It is currently -19 with brisk 15 kph winds. I am beginning to wonder why humans don’t hibernate! It is to be -29 C tomorrow morning. We are more than back in the deep freeze.

Today I will hop around a lot of nests. They have been neglected because my almost full attention has been on M15 and his eaglets. I will say again that he is doing a tremendous job. There have been enormous hurdles for him, including losing Harriet. I hope she doesn’t mind. My friend ‘A; says that the eaglets gave M15 something to live for after Harriet. It took him a few days for it all to sink in, but he has come about and, quite honestly, is one of the most democratic adults feeding eaglets I have ever seen. ‘A’ reminded me of what I already knew but had lost in the density of it all – that M15 always took care of the underdog on the nest even when Harriet did not. Looking at the history of the SW Florida nest, it was fascinating how many eaglets those two had fledged since 2015 when M15 became the man of the hour. What also interested me was that these eaglets survived…the prior history with Ozzie is not nearly as good. There was good DNA, with Harriet and M15 producing strong, independent, healthy eaglets. What M15 looks for in his next mate, his second by all accounts would be a fierce female like Harriet. As much as we waffle on our feelings about the female with the black talon, she may be precisely what he is looking for in a future mate.

Making News:

Ervie. Our dear Ervie. It is so nice for someone to take and post photos of you living the good life in Port Lincoln. There is no word from your sister, Zoe. Indeed, they are having problems with many of the satellite trackers. Let us hope that is all that is wrong…Glad you are safe!

When you think of Ospreys, do you think of Bahrain?

We all watched and held our breaths, hoping that Karl II and his Black Stork family – mate Kaia, offspring Waba and foster, Bonus – would not travel through Ukraine on their way to Africa. Many asked what the cost to wildlife is. An article in The Guardian examines the cost to nature.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/20/ukraine-war-cost-for-nature-russia?CMP=share_btn_link

Did you know that Ostrich feathers are still considered a luxury item and there is high demand for them?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/20/ostrich-feathers-farming-south-africa-fashion-luxury-a-photo-essay?CMP=share_btn_link

Broken wing and extensive lacerations for this eagle caught in a fence. Help came in time, and today, that raptor is flying again. Thanks, Everyone.

Severely-injured-bald-eagle-flying-again-in-West-Virginia-News-timeswv.com_Download

Two of the 55 Kakapo chicks hatched in 2022 are celebrating one-year-old hatch day. They get their names today. Well done, everyone.

Did you know that the USFWS believes there are now 316,000 Bald Eagles in the US? Many in Florida are making their nests on the old NASA site during the winter.

https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/american-bald-eagles-florida-kennedy-space-center

In the Nests:

Richmond is looking for Rosie to arrive any day! He has arrived at the nest as he will do from now until she returns from her migration.

Staying in San Francisco. There might still be time to vote on Annie’s mate.

All of the eaglets are growing up fast. E22 is so good at stealing fish from Dad and then feeding himself. Nugget was doing the same thing…but, what did Nugget eat?

Connie and Clive are also beginning to teach Connick to self-feed. They dropped a fish into the nest that was unzipped and watched from the upper branches til Connick was interested and pecking and getting some fish. After he gave it a good try, Mum flew down and fed the entire fish to her baby!

At the KNF-E1 nest of Anna and Louis, that eaglet – this has to be a beautiful female – is now self-feeding, too. They are all progressing just as they should.

Meanwhile, B16 is being filled up to the brim by Pa at the Berry College Eagle nest.

Well, I missed it watching M15 and the Es but, it seems that Pearl and Tico have fledged!!!!!!

Gary seems to think things at the Redding nest of Liberty and Guardian are returning to normal. Guardian brings a Coot to Liberty. Liberty loved that meal. The first egg collapsed and the couple have incubated the second egg nearly fully time.

Some great highlights of the 20th in Orange Australia. Indigo is still with us!

At noon on 20 February, 8868 people were watching to see if Jackie and Shadow will have a pip in their eggs today.

Still waiting and hoping.

‘H’ sends word that Angus has brought two fish to Florence today at Captiva. She has also caught one of her own. August has also only kicked her out of the nest once! Courtship after losing a mate is interesting, complex, and often confusing.

E21 and E22 are turning six weeks old. M15 has to be given many awards for his dedication to raising these two. He is quite amazing.

The eaglets at SWFlorida had a nice big fish on Monday morning at 10:50:18.

Both ate, but 22 is getting so darn good at snatching and grabbing. He got some of the fish – a nice big piece and then the tail – and put them down with one gulp. 22 is so far ahead in this area of learning. It is grand. This nest is preparing them for anything and everything that could meet in the outside world.

E21’s large wings!

Two fish came in the late afternoon. One was around 15:55, and the other was at 16:54. E22 got the best of those meals. 21 did a bit of nipping at 16:11:45 so that he could eat! Meanwhile, E22 did his famous snatch-and-grab and wound up with a rather great ending to the day regarding food.

22 appears to ‘hork’ another tail. 22 might move away from 21 at times but, he is determined and is really able to deal quickly if a piece of food presents itself. Well done, 22.

At one point, the camera had M15 on the nest tree.

The female with what appears to be a large crop is down by the pond.

At another time, both were at the pond. I will imagine that M15 caught that last nice fish here. It is 14:16. M15 is on the right. He looks like he has eaten and has a nice crop.

Here is a video by Eagle Goddess of the pair at the pond.

Who’s guarding? Who’s sleeping?

The day went without incident on the nest, which is all that matters. And then came the GHO strike at 21:24:40. M15 cannot get a break. Sara McDavid caught the auction for us.

https://www.youtube.com/live/5aL2OA1jOq0?feature=share

Minnesota had some of the snow that swept through this area. Nancy woke up with no snow, and then it came on Monday, and then it was gone again. If there is to be a third egg, it should arrive today for Nancy and Beau.

The eagles at Pittsburgh-Hayes welcomed their second egg on Monday. Congratulations, everyone. The time was just after 17:17. Mum seed to have about a three-minute labour.

The Majestic’s Mum at the Denton Homes nest in Iowa laid her first egg with a new mate, Beau, on the 20th. Dad and the three eaglets died of Avian Flu last year. It was so sad.

There is also the first egg at Decorah North for Mr North and DNF. Happened around 2000.

It appears that Big Red has not decided where the 2023 nest will be but she has definitely rejected the Fernow Tower Light stand potentially because of the construction work across Tower Road. Today Suzanne Arnold Horning found the couple delivering sticks to the smoke stacks.

There is just too much happening all at once in Bird World, which is what we thought when the other Bald Eagle nests came into play. All in all, it was a good day.

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. See you soon!

Thank you so much to the following for their notes, news, posts, videos, tweets, and streaming cams that make up my newsletter today: ‘H’, ‘A’, Sandra Wallace and Friends of Osprey, Howard King @BirdsofBahrain, The Guardian, Golden Gate Audubon, Cal Falcons, Tonya Irwin and KNF-E3, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E1, Berry College Eagles, Superbeaks, Gary and FORE, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, FOBBV, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, MN-DNR, Pix Cam, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org, and Suzanne Arnold Horning and the Cornell Hawk Cam Chatters.

E22 steals fish and self-feeds, Big Red switches site of nest?…It is Monday in Bird World

20 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

There is lots of news in Bird World. My focus continues to be on the nest of Bald Eagles M15, E21 and E22 in Fort Myers, Florida, at the moment. There is drama going on at the ND-LEEF Bald Eagle nest in South Bend, Indiana and the Osprey nest on Captiva. Keeping an eye on those as well.

‘M’ sent me an excellent article from The Guardian on the ten birds that most changed the world. Please have a read! We can all learn something…I did. And it was nice to see that the Sparrow made it to the list along with some of your favourites, such as the Eagle.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/19/dodo-eagle-sparrow-the-10-birds-that-changed-the-world-for-ever

Big Red seems unhappy with the building works across Tower Road from the Fernow Light Stand. She is moving sticks to another light tower that may not have a streaming cam. This would be a source of great sadness and anxiety among the thousands of people who look forward to this twenty-year-old RTH laying eggs and raising her eyases.

An image of the Fernow Light Tower nest. You can see some of the building equipment at the Rice Building.

CROW continues to monitor the situation. M15 is doing a fantastic job protecting and feeding the eaglets. I hope that he can keep it up; it is so much better if they are raised by him and fledge their nest. I don’t like how the female eagle looks at the two eaglets in the first image below. Her presence is now concerning and could be very dangerous to the eaglets. I once thought this was not the case, but her actions yesterday changed my mind.

If you missed my report on Sunday, the female Bald Eagle, VF3, with the necrotic talon, kicked M15 off the nest and attacked E22 three times when it tried to get food. Here is a video containing those terrifying 11 minutes and 52 seconds.

The female was on the nest tree earlier with prey. Some believed she might feed the eaglets. She did not; she flew off with it after plucked the fur off the item. The situation is growing dangerous as this female is now emboldened to treat M15 with contempt. It is essential for the Es that Dad not get injured so that he can continue to provide food for them. If you are wondering why he does not fight her, this is the reason. She is also much larger than he is, and despite her injured talon, she is strong. I do not think she will go away quickly, if at all.

M15 flew in with another Armoured Catfish at 15:42:21. While he is vocalising to the female who is identified as FV3, Dad just carries on. Perhaps we are the ones worrying and he isn’t! Both eaglets ate, with 22 getting some nice bites.

M15 appears nervous when he is in the nest feeding the eaglets.

At 1700, M15 flew in with a nice morsel, a leftover from his good evening meal. E22 claimed it and ate it! Well done, E22.

M15 did eat well. He had an enormous crop.

The Es are waiting for breakfast on Monday. 21 is on the right, with 22 on the left. Please take a look at the difference.

The Es had a nice big fish for breakfast. M15 brought it to the nest at 10:50:18. 21 eats first, then 22, and then 22 gets a touch insisting that 22 move away. 22 goes into submission. There is nothing to fear. 22 turns around and does the snatch-and-grab that will help him survive in the wild.

Is it another Armoured Catfish?

22 is doing clean-up duty.

Should birdwatchers be afraid? are we vermin?

Some good news regarding Sequoia and Sasha at San Jose City Hall.

Speaking of egg laying, Gabby fooled me with all that nesting behaviour.

They are a gorgeous couple together. Gabby is just smitten by V3.

V3 keeping guard.

No egg!

Annie has been hanging around the scrape.

Here are the names for final voting for the new male. We should know soon!

Vote-now-Here-are-the-finalists-in-Berkeleys-falcon-naming-contest-Berkeley-News Download

Jackie and Shadow are still incubating eggs, and the Ravens remain around the nest tree, making a nuisance out of themselves. The eggs are probably not viable – I have thought that since the first day – that Saturday – they stayed away when the earthquakes were in the Valley. I ‘want’ to be fooled by their behaviour. Last year Spirit hatched on day 40.

Shadow.

The male has been incubating the eggs at Metro Aviation Bald Eagle nest in Louisiana. The female flew in today and taloned one of them. They are not viable and this might allow the pair to move forward.

Do you watch the Golden Eagles in Romania? Lucina and Caliman were in the nest in the forest today! I love these Golden Eagles, but this nest is not for the faint-hearted. The oldest eaglet in a Golden Eagle nest will almost, without exception, kill its younger sibling. This is called obligate siblicide.

The causes of obligate siblicide in specific eagle species are discussed in this academic paper. Some of the conclusions are below. This will help explain some behaviour that you have seen on nests previously. The observations also apply to Golden Eagles.

Sibblingaggression-Ibis-PDF-2 Download

These observations suggest that the availability of food does not affect the chances of survival of the second chick in those species in which it never, or very rarely survives. The critical factor appears to be the interval between hatching, which is clearly variable. If, at the hatch of the second chick, the first is already skilful at taking pieces of flesh offeredby the parent, then the younger sibling exerts little influence on the behaviour of the adult. At feeding times, it is offered fewer pieces of food and these, moreover, are proffered only briefly and in an inadequate fashion. The second chick soon dies of starvation. Attacks on it by its sibling are, by comparison unimportant.

If, on the other hand, the interval between hatching is short, then the second chick can develop normally so long as it is protected from its sibling’s attacks by the brooding female parent. As soon as brooding is interrupted, the younger chick is subjected to the attack of the older. It is intimidated, no longer participates in feeding and flees to the edge of the eyrie. This process of the acceptance of intimidation, observed in the Lesser Spotted Eagle, quickly leads to the elimination of one chick, even when two of equal size are experimentally placed together, and explains why two chicks cannot normally be reared.
Bernd-Ulrich Meyburg, Sibling aggression and mortality among nesting eagles

These particular species of eagles are one reason that so many people turn to the gentle Albatross for respite.

Of course, if you are ‘into Eagles’ like most of us are (as well as the Albatross, the parrots, the budgies, the terns….), single chick eagle nests from the start normally bring a lot of joy. Just like little B16 at the Berry College Eagle nest in Georgia.

Zoe. What can we say? According to the Friends of Osprey FB group, Fran Solly and Buzz Hockaday have been up to where Zoe last sent a transmission. That place was Point Drummond near Mount Hope. On all occasions, they did not see her. If she is out of cell coverage range, it ‘feels’ unusual as she was so quick to fly about previously. Let us hope it is a faulty transmitter and that nothing has happened to Zoe.

Point Drummond. This was the site of the last transmission from Zoe. Is it at all possible she flew out over the sea?

Lori Covert has already named the new female at Captiva with Angus. The name is Florence. According to ‘H’, Angus has provided fish, has tried mating unsuccessfully with the new gal, and then has kicked her off the nest. The relationship is a bit topsy-turvy. We wait to see how this works out.

Thank you so very much for being with me today. Please take care of yourself. We hope to see you with us again in Bird World.

If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter, it is easy. Just fill in the form below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, tweets, and streaming cams which make up my blog today: ‘M’, ‘H’, The Guardian, Cornell RTH Cam, @CornellHawks, SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, @Geemeff, Karen Enright and Orange Australia Peregrine Falcons FB, NEFL-AEF, Cal Falcons, Berkeley News, FOBBV, Tonya Irwin and Raptors of the Word, Golden Eagle Nest Bucovina, Research Gate, Cornell Lab and NZ DOC, Berry College Eagles, Friends of Osprey FB, Google Maps, and Kakapo Recovery.

Death spiral at Centreport, food fest at SWFlorida…Friday in Bird World

17 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

I am writing this late Thursday evening. Tomorrow is one of those days with a thousand little things to do and it is going to start early. It is currently -18 C on the Canadian Prairies and nearing 40 degrees C in Melbourne. I so hope our Australian friends do not go from rains and flooding to fires this year. Keep them all in your thoughts.

February is a month that is full of winter activities in Canada. In Winnipeg, from the 17th – 26th, it is the Festival du Voyaguer. Celebrated in the French area of our City, St Boniface, it is a time to come together doing winter activities, music, arts and culture, games, in celebration of the voyageur, Métis, and Indigenous histories or our province. There is amazing French and Indigenous food, snow shoeing, maple sugar candy…sledding. It is the largest French cultural event in this region of Canada. Lots of fun! I am definitely looking forward to a sleigh ride on either Saturday or Sunday.

First up, I have received word from ‘H’ that the new male D4 whose eggs Mum is likely to lay any time at CentrePort is injured or dead and has not returned to the nest. Would the D% male destroy the eggs of D4? Ospreys sure do and it is quite possible. We wait to see. The new male being called D5 is at the nest. Here is that death spiral – slo-mo and at the end the real time. Took seconds.

Today I made some video clips for us because you really need to just watch how well 22 did (with some intimidation from 21). It was a very special day on this nest.

I had received word that one of the persons that I go to for eagle advice had sound knowledge that there are three female eagles around the SWFlorida nest. After reading and looking and being terribly confused, it appears that there is some clarity as to what happened yesterday even though many will not agree. One of the issues was the camera moving and well, confusion over which female was which. The very hungry female was booted out of the nest and did not return today. The other female who has been on the branch did return last night and stood guard while M15 slept. At least that is my take on all of this based on reports from the ground. — At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. No one was injured. M15 was back to his amazing self on Thursday delivering many meals and everyone had nice crops including Dad – it made me joyful to see his crop so full. He had been neglecting himself to feed the babies it seemed.

And then there is more confusing spreading this morning by another post…I prefer to focus on M15 and the eaglets…but I will put this here as I know almost everyone is interested.

The deliveries could well be good today at SWFlorida. M15 brought in a nice fish at 12:34. It was a whole one and he had some bites…it is not until 3 and a half minutes into the feeding that 22 figures out how to get some of that fish. He did well. Have a look! (22 is very nervous and 21 earlier raised its neck and moved towards 22 – all it took to get the little one to move out of the way of dad’s beak).

M15 brought in the innards of some animal at 13:36. At the time of his arrival, he had a nice crop so Dad had a good meal somewhere.

And so did the Es, both of them. E22 wanted to eat, tried to shy, and then went for it. You will see both 21 and 22 working nice pieces. Excellent.

It did turn out to be a good day and E22 mustered up some courage again and had some food. It doesn’t take much and now 21 has taken to wing flapping, too…but..E22 is getting its mojo back with every bite. He sticks with Dad and winds up with a nice crop! Yes, you can pull out the tissues now. I sure did.

Ah..looking out over the rails with a crop..lovely.

E22 had a nice crop after that feeding…and then at 17:17:16, M15 brought in a whole Armoured Catfish. 22 was right there…and 22 was fed until 17:37 when he couldn’t eat anymore and went over to the rim. E21 wasn’t bothered…full and wanting to sleep. They had lots and lots of food today!

Great job getting the fish flakes out of that!

M15 with his massive crop ready for night duty. He continues to look tired but…he ate well today and he has too…he is hunting for 3! So proud of you dad..with everything going on you did great today. Keep up the good work. Your babies are getting their juvenile feathers..

Sadly, Angus and Mabel continue to have an intruder, the same female intruder? at their nest. Mabel is desperately trying to hang on to Angus and her nest. Heidi Mc caught Angus chasing the intruder off the nest and then, she got her leg caught in nest material. There is a video of this curious interaction below.

Angus appears upset. Is he is trying to help her. The female was unharmed. She flew away and returned to the nest. Mabel has not been seen since morning. Will this female be Angus’s new mate? Did Mabel leave the territory?

This is a video of the skirmishes on the first day. If you are not aware of what is happening.

This is the video of the female hanging off the edge of the nest today. We wait to see…if Mabel doesn’t return and this female is consistently on the nest…well,…what do we think?

Even at 1700 Thursday evening, Angus was still having problems with intruders.

Amidst all the chaos on Wednesday, two nests have eggs that had troubles last year. Bella and Smitty at the NCTC nest and Nancy and her new beau at MN-DNR have their first egg of the 2023 season. In 2022, an injury that kept Bella from the nest for 21 days and an intruding female meant that the loved couple did not have any eggs to hatch. Nancy lost her young mate, Harry, and a shortage of food caused siblicide with only E-1 surviving. It pushed E-2 off the nest! Hoping for much better results this year although things seem pretty tumultuous all over Bird World at the moment.

Paul K caught the arrival of Bella and Smitty’s egg:

The gorgeous Nancy at the MN-DNR nest incubating her first egg of the 2023 season. New mate is Beau.

Nancy and Beau’s first egg is making the news.

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/minnesota/a-sure-sign-that-spring-is-coming-first-egg-visible-in-minnesota-dnrs-eaglecam-nest

Liberty and Guardian seem to be having intruders again today. They have been in and out of the nest and on and off the egg – although they would also be practising delayed incubation. The egg was left for the longest from 09:57-12:54 (so far) on Thursday. A Magpie has been eating scraps off the nest. Oh, for some stability! These two are fantastic parents.

Want to see one of the most precious eagle eggs. It is number 5 for this season and it belongs to Audacity and Jak at Sauces Canyon, Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands. The other four broke easily because of the thin shell due to DDT contamination in the food of the eaglets..the soil, the water, everything at the end being so much more concentrated than at the other end of the islands. Oh, let us all hope for this one egg to make it for this tenacious couple.

Gorgeous Jackie on those two precious eggs Thursday night. Pip watch started yesterday. We have seen eggs survive 5 hours at a stretch in frigid temperatures. The nests also hold the heat. But whether or not these two eggs of Jackie and Shadow are viable is, of course, not known until it is too late for them to be hatching. The couple have been seen mating and it is possible they think there is something wrong — but we wait. Miracles happen. If not this clutch, there is time for another.

At the PA Farm Country Bald Eagle, we now have four eggs. This beautiful couple – Lisa and Oliver – had four eggs hatch last year…sadly that little cutie pie fourth hatch died of hypothermia when it could not get under Mum on a very frigid night.

Nests really have been neglected by me with all the troubles at the SWFlorida nest..hope for stability! Thursday was an especially good day for everyone – M15, 21 and 22.

Connick is growing like a bad weed but, on Thursday, he decided that in addition to fish, he would try eating a plastic washer that came to the nest. This should show up in a pellet.

Diamond is home and Elain has it on video for us. Sorry folks – lots of videos today. Sometimes it is good to see – especially if it is 22 doing the old snatch and grab!

Some news of interest to our Albatross fans…

Other news from our Albatross, Wisdom is a grandmother (image below with her distinctive band). Wisdom is the oldest Laysan Albatross in the world at 70+ years. She is still raising chicks.

Every species of bird gives us new and interesting opportunities to learn. I know that many head over to the Albatross and the Royal Cam family when they need to sit and feel warm and fuzzy. There is absolutely nothing so moving as seeing those albatross parents look down at their chick – the love just radiates out everywhere. I would also recommend to you having a change of pace and instead of just watching the Bald Eagles and Ospreys with all their drama (OK…Annie at Cal Falcons has had a revolving door of tragedy lately), try the hawks. There was something so magical about Big Red and Arthur having four eggs last year and raising four eyases to fledge…and little L4 clamouring over its big sibs to get right under Mum’s beak for food. There wasn’t any fear in that one…and she still resides on the territory of her parents hunting successfully and looking so much like her mother that you would think they were twins. While some things are the same, certain behaviours are different. Watch and compare with some of the other species…see what you learn!

Everyone was devastated when Sue and Otto died of Avian Flu earlier this year. They were the long-term Red-tail Hawk residents at Syracuse University. Their son, Jesse, has taken over Dad’s territory with his new mate Sarah. We wish them a long and healthy life!

There is a new Red-tail Hawk couple on steaming cam and this time the female is unusual. She is leucistic, the partial or total loss of pigmentation. Angel is 7 years old and her new mate, unnamed male, replacing her previous mate, Mohawk, is 3 years old. Their nest is in an undisclosed location for their safety in Tennessee. Right now they are nest building. There are very few Red-tail Hawk streaming cams in the world. The most well know is Big Red at the Cornell Campus and her mate, Arthur. This is another wonderful opportunity to see these amazing hawks raise their eyases…so different than eagles and ospreys. I find them comforting compared to the drama at some of the other raptor nests.

Here is the link to Angel’s cam:

https://www.youtube.com/live/WQ0mCowoEUI?feature=share

And, of course, absolutely, there is Big Red and her family on the Cornell Campus. Their streaming cam is up and running just in time!

https://www.youtube.com/live/ouQL2Gg-rXI?feature=share

And last…one nest where the eagles still stay on alert, where the female calls the male and he comes flying in, where both are healthy with Chrome-Yellow Beaks and talons…it is, of course, Gabby and V3. She calls, he comes. Adorable. They have been at the nest tree a lot today. I continue to ask: Do they know something that we do not?

Look at the colour of the talons…and check out the feet.

Gabby is stunning…I have wished that we could get her with M15.

V3 still has some old injuries on his talons healing (at the back). Always check out the colour of those beaks and talons. Gabby is incredibly healthy…just bright chrome-yellow.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please check out the hawks and send all your positive wishes to all of the nests. Anything can happen and when it does it can cause so much turmoil and even death. The raptors need all the love we can send them. And take care of yourselves. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Oh, and I almost forgot. Two things. The Great Backyard Bird Count is underway. Please join in. Here is the information:

The final vote and names to be voted on will be announced tomorrow at Cal Falcons.

Thank you to the following for their notes, their posts, their videos, announcements that make up my blog today: ‘H’, ‘A’, Bald Eagles of Centreport, Stephanie L Hope and SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, SWFL Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Window to Wildlife, Heidi Mc and Window to Wildlife, Paul K and NCTC Bald Eagle Cam, MN-DNR, Duluth News Tribune, FORE, IWS and Explore.org, FOBBV, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, Friends of Midway Atoll, Red-tailed Hawk Tales, Sherri Van Syckel and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cam News, Cornell Lab, and Cal Falcons.

If you would like to subscribe to the Bird World blog, here is your chance to be part of this amazing international community. You can unsubscribe anytime!

Falcons return to scrape, E22 gets some food and flaps wing at sib…Wednesday in Bird World

15 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

It is Valentine’s Day (as I begin writing Wednesday’s blog) and it would feel a lot more warm and fuzzy if fish started falling from the sky on the SWFlorida Eagle nest. The FFV has been protecting the area (photographs by local photographers confirm this). Her right foot has lots of injuries as if she has been in a recent fight during the last 2 or 3 days. She might need some time to heal before she is able to help bring in prey. I wonder how she is eating? M15 helped Harriet in 2015! The eaglet was E6. There are other examples of male or female eagles stepping in to help raise eaglets that are not theirs, also. There is a snow storm with high winds hitting Jackie and Shadow after three days of their on again-off again relationship with the two eggs they guarded so closely for over a month. It seems things are back to normal in Big Bear. If the earthquakes have significantly decreased, I am going to really think they might have had something to do with their behaviour for 3 days.

So, some good news was needed to mend my aching head and heart and it wasn’t, however, the third egg laid at the Achieva Osprey nest in St Petersburg, Florida on Valentine’s Day at 03:30. No, it came in the form of three pieces of news. The first one was a tweet from Geemeff Wednesday morning:

It is a huge beginning. Come on North America!!!!!!!!!!!

The second is form ‘H’ saying that all three of the falcons at Orange have been seen on the tower. Excellent.

The third is news about a small owl named Flaco that had been living at the Zoo at Central Park. Someone cut the wire to its cage and the owl escaped. Flaco has been seen eating and living nicely in the wild around New York City’s Central Park by a circus of curiosity seekers and residents. Zoo officials thought that Flaco could not live in the wild but he is proving them wrong. We learn something new every day from our raptors!

The New York Times reports for Valentine’s Day on Flaco…In the image below there is a bait tap but Flaco is not hungry!

“A major concern for everyone at the beginning was whether Flaco would be able to hunt and eat,” the society said in a statement, noting that zoo employees had observed him catching and consuming prey. “That is no longer a concern.” The officials from the Zoo also said, “In addition to proving himself as a hunter, the society said in its statement, Flaco had shown “a rapid improvement in his flight skills and ability to confidently maneuver around the park.”

The image above is a baited trap. Right now Flaco is full form his good hunting and is ‘not taking the bait’. The goal, according to the article, is to retrieve Falco and bring him back into the safety of the Zoo where he would not fall prey to rodenticide, GHO attack or killing, and collisions. Those are the risks of any urban raptor (or songbird for that matter). I find myself torn – while I believe in intervention, Flaco appears to be doing quite well living the ‘wild’ life.

Good news is also coming out of Orange. Xavier and Indigo have been back to the scrape. We wait and hope that Diamond was not too traumatised…Cilla says that Xavier will check and make sure it is safe and inform Diamond. Well done, Orange falcons.

Xavier made sure Indigo had a good breakfast. Look at that nice prey item that is in the scrape! (or am I wrong and this is Indigo’s great hunting?). The image was taken around 0849, the 15th of February in Orange.

Elain captured yesterday’s highlights.

I was so used to the Landings Nest near Savannah being an Osprey nest…then it was taken over by a GHO couple. Yes, those owlets are adorable. :)). I just wish they would leave the eagles alone!

An Osprey flew by this morning. Getting hopes up!

Heading to the SWFlorida nest..I am taking a bit of a breather today. E21 is 41 days old today and E22 is 39 days old. I am still concerned for E22 but, I want to be hopeful. Observers at the SWFlorida nest have posted this explanation as to what they think is going on at the nest. M15’s duty right now is to finish raising these eaglets. The female wants M15 and the territory ——she should be interviewed. There would be 100s of 5 year old female eagles wanting to match up with this super guy. I just wish she would prove her devotion by not just doing security but also becoming Mommy Door Dash.

This was also posted on the SWFL FB group this morning:

E22 is hungry. Dad jumped down first thing and fed the old fish tail to 21. Wishing for several big ones.

Bird with long legs and tail feathers came on the nest – it was a carcass. If the whole bird had made it, maybe 22 would have had some good food. I wonder what is going on. M15 ate, 21 ate, and 22 got some bites. Not many. Some by his quick snatch and grab out of 21 and Dad’s beak. Some up at the table when there was not much left.

On top of everything else, now there are drones. When will M15 cut a break?

At 1828, E22 got bold. Tired of having 21 get all the food for the day – and I do want to use the word ‘starving’, 22 went for it. M15 backed up a bit to help 22 and there was some quick snatch and grabs. It is unclear to me how much fish 22 got after 21 ate – 21 has a crop in the image below. The snatch and grab netted him a number of bites. And 22 was bold – he has to be. His life depends on it. I have seen statements that he got lots to eat. I would not characterise it as that but…he ate. And he had a ps that looked reasonable during the day. Someone got a screen capture of it.

It was frenzied for 22 who worked to get between Dad and 21 and grab every bite he could. Some were a nice size. We wait til morning. Again, the fish was not huge, 22 got some at the end.

After the feeding, M15 joined the FFV in the tree.

Wednesday morning M15 and the FFV were close on the tree.

M15 came in with a fish which 21 seems to have gotten the best of. 21 bonked 22 to keep it away. At 09:38 21 is self feeding on a leftover fish piece and 22 grabs it and takes it and wolfs it down. He is hungry.

To be clear, this is a small piece of fish and 21 will retake it, then 22 will get it back, and then M15 will fly down again. Someone said that in all of this 21 ate half a fish – if I had seen 21 eat half a fish I would be jumping on top of my roof for joy.

At 10:49, 21 is still eating and 22 is trying to find a scrap.

There is no shortage of food at many of the other nests. Still it helps to be ‘the one and only apple or Valentine of your parent’s heart’. Connick has an enormous crop! Looks like he is trying out for the role in some super hero movie with those amazing wings and big strong legs! Granted it is hard to take your eyes off that enormous crop to look at those wings and legs. He is one healthy eaglet…and I for one, wondered if he would make it early on. Well, no worries here. His smile is yellow and the black of his beak is shiny and healthy. Of course, nice clown feet, too, Connick…they go well with the mini-mohawk.

B16 is adorable. Notice the difference between B16 below and Connick above. Ask me if I would like to see 22 look like this? Of course.

There is something terribly ‘sweet’ about this little eaglet..I don’t know quite what it is but, something. Now look at B16’s wings. Consider for a moment how large they are.

The cameras have been on and off in the Kisatchie National Forest. The eaglets are fine and all of them are growing and developing those gorgeous juvenile feathers that we are going to see on Connick all too soon.

Gorgeous Trey. The IR camera really shows the thermal down and where the juvenile feathers are coming. Trey is incubating Dudley! She takes good care of that old unviable egg. Practice for the future. You can just see a little triangle of white almost directly under her beak. That is Dudley.

Anna and Trey with Dudley hiding underneath Trey.

Valentine and Nugget are simply developing into beautiful feathered eaglets. Valentine seems to have had a huge growth spurt…or is it the camera angle?

Jackie and Shadow have had at least one shift change today and they are both staying close to the nest and those two precious eggs. The storm system with snow and winds moving through is due to pass later today (Tuesday as I am writing).

The couple look much more settled.

At 11:06 Jackie called Shadow and he was there in a second to relieve her and incubate. Not leaving those eggs for a second longer than necessary. Am I thinking that we are back to normal and that pip watch is tomorrow? Hope.

Gabby and V3 were at the natal tree perched on the branches and in the nest bowl doing some work today. Gabby is in really good condition. Look at the colour of her beak and her feathers. Her eyes are clear. She is not tired and she is really healthy.

There are now three eggs at the Achieva Osprey nest. I mentioned it in yesterdays blog. So right now we have three osprey nests that have eggs being incubated in Florida: Moorings Park, Venice Golf and Country Club, and now Achieva in St Petersburg. We wait to see if there will be any eggs at Captiva this year for new couple Mabel and Angus.

Beautiful Diane will be doing hard incubation for between 38-43 days. Mark your calendars. Looks like 24-29 March. Later than 2021. (No eggs survived in 2022).

Most of you know that I am very fond of Diane and often get rather irked at Jack. Some of us even thought he had 2 nests in 2021 – the fish delivery was erratic and poor little Tiny Tot Tumbles, the third hatch, well…was deemed to be on death’s doorstep, literally, several times but, thanks to her Mum who saw her daughter want to live, fed her catfish after the two older siblings were sound asleep. In the dark, the little one ate and ate. TTT become the dominant bird on the nest staying long after the older two had fledged. She even helped her dad defend the nest and I want to add, as a juvenile having hatched in early March, she defended the nest many times by herself beginning in June. So….a warm soft spot for this Osprey Mum. I wish that third hatch had a band. Several times it looked like she visited the nest late in 2021 and in 2022.

Other Bird News:

Several months ago I added a note about two individuals that care for Cockatoos – sanctuaries for unwanted birds. One was April whose Victoria Cockatoo was believed to be dying and required urgent medical care. Individuals came to the rescue with their donations and now Victoria Cockatoo has gained weight and is doing extremely well.

The other was Dan Scott with Chloe’s Sanctuary. Funds are now in place for Dan and his flock of 11 ‘highly needy’ Cockatoos to take up residence in a new home in Nevada. Their old home in California was flooded. Thank you to all who answered their call.

Most people think Cockatoos are beautiful. So do I. We know that they are highly intelligent. Not Sulphur-Crested but Guffins have demonstrated that they can use tools!

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/feb/10/goffins-cockatoos-use-toolset-complete-tasks?CMP=share_btn_link

People want one as a pet – that is what some of the YouTube videos do…make us want a pet bird.

Around the world, people go to pet stores and buy birds instead of going to sanctuaries. This means that the rescued or sanctuary animals could be euthanised if no home is found. I was sent a list of parrots, cockatoos and budgies requiring homes in one European city. It was huge. There is a growing call – by individuals that have ‘rescued’ parrots and budgies as well as animal right’s persons – to stop the breeding and sale of birds.

Two pet stores in North America that are getting a lot of attention because of their relationship to puppy mills, and other factory breeding programmes for animals, birds, and amphibians are PetSmart and PetCo. You may know these companies. Organisations that want the rights and lives of animals to be respected are asking customers to boycott those stores. Wallets do speak loud when profits are the only concern! There are a number of videos on YouTube that you can access showing dumpster divers finding fish and amphibians literally being tossed in to die. But there are just as many concerns for the dogs, cats, and birds as well. Our beloved feather friends often come from pet mills that are anything but caring and will do what they can to cut costs and maximise profits. So before you buy a bird from a pet store, think twice. Before you buy pet and bird food at a pet store, think about which store and what their policies are that you are supporting. Call your local organisations to see if your local humane society or rescue centre has any birds. Check out the reputation of the company selling the animal. A certificate saying an animal is a purebred does not mean that it came from a caring lovely small family breeder. Believe me I can tell you horror stories about cat breeders! Ask about surrenders and rescues. Give them a second chance at life. Parrots and Cockatoos live for a long time and many outlive their owners. Planning should be in place for all feathered friends just as you might do a dog or cat. Research the species. Every one of my contacts with Cockatoos warns that they are like tyrannical toddlers. I am also told that getting a beak trimmed can cost anywhere from $100-140 and the beaks must be trimmed.

‘J’ reminded me this morning that you can also adopt a ‘Cockatoo or a Parrot’ from a sanctuary which will help with their care. Many allow you to visit your adoptee. What an idea…a win-win for all. Some provide photographs.

Birds can be fantastic friends. My maternal grandfather had a Blue Budgie. My grandmother knew he adored that bird more than her! Think first! Thank you for listening…we need to be mindful, always, of the welfare of the animals and birds, both in our care and in the wild.

Thank you so much for being with me today. If you haven’t done so, do suggest a name for the new guy in Annie’s life. Go to Cal Falcons FB Page. I am not certain how long they will take potential names. Take care everyone. See you soon….please continue to send your good wishes to M15 and E21 and 22, our dear Diamond so traumatised by the fireworks, as well as Zoe who has yet to send in a transmission.

Thank you to the following for their notes, essays, articles, videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures that form this blog: ‘A’, ‘H’, ‘Geemeff’, and ‘J’, The New York Times, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam, Elain and the Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Cornell Bird Lab, SWFlorida Eagles FB and Lisa Marie, Iris Schneider and the SWFL Eagles FB, SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Paul Kolnik and Bald Eagles 101 FB, Window to Wildlife, Berry College Eagle Cam, KNF-E1, KNF-E3, FOBBY, NEFL-AEF, Achieva Credit Union, Victoria’s Playhouse, and The Guardian.

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Owl Strike at SWFlorida, Earthquakes, Fireworks, DDT…2023 is getting off to a terrible start for Bird World

14 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

It is apparently Valentine’s Day – so give some love to someone, to the raptors, to your birds, or to your local wildlife rehabilitation centre. I began to wonder what a windfall it would be if everyone who was going to buy flowers or chocolates would, instead, donate those funds to clinics and shelters instead. Imagine. Millions and millions of people around the world giving their local or favourite rehab centre a $30-50 bill instead. It could make all the difference in the world. If you already have that chocolate or flowers, then think about this the next time there is a holiday and you reach for the roses.

If the 2022 breeding season for raptors on streaming cams was a difficult one then, 2023 has started out feeling like we are witnessing a nightmare. So it is not surprising that many of you are writing to tell me that you are thinking of taking a mental break. It is a good thing to do. Sometimes you just need to step away for a day or two, get outside and go for a walk, breathe in the fresh air and listen for your local birds and their songs. It really is up lifting. And believe me, I have to take these breaks, too, and build up my mental reserves for when those third hatch little male ospreys are getting beaten up by their big sister. Personally I have gotten to the point that I would love to see one healthy chick on every nest. No more than one. Just one. One is enough.

Ironically, one of the nests that is bringing me a lot of pleasure lately is the nest of Gabby and V3. They are a magnificent couple and let us all hope they have a long and productive future together. It is nice to see life settle even if V3 needs to deliver a lot of prey and drop it from the sky on the nest so his talons don’t get hooked! They have been working on the nest and I noticed a spring of evergreen which perked my attention this morning. Maybe it just smells like fish and the flies are about. Surely Gabby isn’t thinking about eggs?

Reminds me so many times of seeing Gabby and Samson stand like this. They are a power couple. V3 came, went, returned and set the rest of them packing. He will be good for Gabby.

The situation at SWFlorida is in a state of flux. It was terrifying right after Harriet and we all feared that E22 would be dead from siblicide. Then the fish starting coming on the nest and life was good. Then there were the intruders – the individual with the flash and the female eagle. To what extent they and others have placed this nest back in the state where E22 is constantly afraid to eat but, needs to, is unknown. Monday morning M15 brought in a ‘Jumping live mini fish’ and E21 got all of it.

Then there was a nice sized fish but, as is becoming common again, E21 scared off 22 until there was not much left. 22 got one good bite of that big fish. Now..remember, if M15 can get another big fish on that nest before 21 gets hungry, 22 has a chance and so does Dad. I also need to say that M15 moved the fish so he could feed 22 but 21 came over the back side. Not good.

The only bite that 22 got. Look at 21’s beak.

The third fish came in at 14:39. Well, M15 is the best dad when he is left alone. He flew in with a big fish – was it one of those silvery Ladyfish – and he is feeding it slow. Obviously M15 knows that 22 needs to eat. Feeling optimistic. That fish came in at 14:39 and please note that M15 has eaten the head. Way to go Dad. You need your strength to take good care of the babies. Is the VF upstairs wanting that fish?

Some wonder if there is enough food. The pond is stocked or that is what I was told. And it was restocked about 9 days ago – or so I was told. M is a good fisher but he has distracters – human and eagle and that female and others might be trying to take his fish or do…

Clearly, 21 is shutting out 22. Will he get any of this enormous fish? Let’s hope so.

22 you need to move around the rim of the nest…and get some fish!

It would appear that M15 is going to wait for 22 to move around. He has not fed 21 anymore and is sitting on the fish. I am so impressed with this super Dad.

Dad left. 22 trying to self feed.

Hunger and surviving. It looks like 22 is holding the fish down and pulling up getting some bites. I hope he eats that entire last of the fish! If M15 flew down now (he is on the branch but the VF is on another one it seems), 21 is asleep finally and he could possibly feed 22 the rest of that fish, too.

A video of the beginning of the self-feeding. Before this, 22 picked up scraps from all over the nest. He is a survivor BUT he needs to eat and let us hope he gets enough. It is a lot of work to get the skin off those fish and 22 spends much time trying before he gets to the ‘open’ end. There he figures out to stick his beak in and pull out the flesh (second video).

E22 finished. I do not think there is a crop there. Hard to tell but he did have something to eat. Every bite is important. 22 has decided to sleep on the fish! Too funny.

M15 flew back down but 21 was there and got the fish feeding. What can I say? 22 needs a good feed. We wait. M15 did eat as we saw from the fish brought in and this is good…now 22 we need you to step up tomorrow and get some fish – and Dad….stand right between those two if you have to – between them as in physical separation.

Good Night M15. Thank you for the fish today!!!!!!!! Sweet Eagle Dreams Everyone.

M15 you look super tired. We worry about you. Make sure you eat…

And sleep. It looks like you are so tired and you have left the female at the end of the branch. And she was by the pond today? Someone took photographs and is she part of a pair with the other eagle down getting drinks at the pond? Again, like Gabby’s nest we will have to wait and let this play out with the hope that M15 can get some fish for him and the babies tomorrow in peace.

Oops. GHO knocks intruder off and M15 gets into nest with 21 and 22.

Bandicam shows it also. The intruder came back to the nest branch and M15 chased her off.

Human negligence – and our long standing desire to control nature for our own ends – has caused Jak and Audacity to lose all four of their eggs this season. It is not a new story but it ties in with the human interference in SWFlorida and the damage it can cause – 2 separate incidents now on Saturday night with two people with flashlights. Police out to both incidents. It was the latter one that drove M15 off for 3 hours, not the person with the camera (according to the FB announcement). Our interference in the natural world by using toxic chemicals to kill insects causes irreparable harm. The Sauces couple have had some success. Have a look at their history on Santa Cruz Island and remember, this is in the northern area, which has more contamination from DDT (DDE) than other areas of the islands.

Sauces-Nest-History-—-Institute-for-Wildlife-Studies Download

Then there are the fireworks that caused Diamond such distress that it was simply difficult to watch. They sounded like they were right under the tower. If you missed it, here is that video again. It is worth a second look just to remember what fireworks do to wildlife…unlike pets, they cannot come and be safe beside us in our homes when these unnecessary events happen. It is time to outlaw the use of fireworks as a means of celebrating along with the colouring and release of birds or balloons! I do love parties but not if there are things happening that don’t need to that will potentially damage our feathered friends.

There is a call to action to help stop what happened to the falcon family. Please send an e-mail, help Diamond and her family. You can cut and paste a letter but make sure you change who it is addressed to!

Cilla Kinross has commented that the authorities cannot tell the car it is too blurred and are thinking this is a misdemeanour. We hope that, instead, they will take this seriously. Endangering wildlife. Any act – flashlights, flash cameras, anything – we know this – endangers their lives. So Holly is suggesting that we continue to write letters. Maybe there is an animal cruelty organisation in Orange that might like to take this on.

I received the following response from MP for Orange, Mr Philip Donato:

To date, only Xavier and Indigo have returned to the scrape. Diamond has not.

‘J’ alerted to me of something that could, indeed, be causing Jackie and Shadow to get up and off those eggs – the seismic disturbances at Big Bear Lake. One was the largest magnitude felt so far this year. Humans could feel that one but it appears the eagles were disturbed by the other 23 that happened yesterday. Thanks, ‘J’ for bringing this to my attention!

Jackie are on and off the eggs again today. This is three days in a row. We keep the faith and hope that all is well. As I mentioned in my blog yesterday, Milda had a terrible couple of years but, her eggs were left for 5 hours and no harm (it was bitterly cold). The two eaglets hatched only to die later of starvation. The story is accurate but I said Milda was Estonian – she is a Latvian WTE.

There was, of course, earthquake activity on Saturday and I am trying to see what is happening today in the area.

There have been larger quakes in the past. I hope this calms down and the eaglets hatch and life is good for Jackie and Shadow.

5.1-Earthquake-Jolts-Big-Bear-Lake-Area-Los-Angeles-Times Download

It is, of course, only speculation that the earthquakes might have caused the eagles to be up and down and on and off the eggs. The timing of the low level quakes – which the eagles would have felt – suggests that with the start of the behaviour on Saturday. We can only wait and see what is happening. Is it possible that Jackie and Shadow can no longer hear the eaglet/s? We might never know. And even my questions are just speculation. Please read them as such. One or more eggs could hatch on time. The only silver lining for this couple who have been so super diligent – which is why their behaviour now is worrisome – is that they can have a second clutch. There is plenty of time. They were mating today. It is only a note to this but, have you noticed that raptors confirm their pair bond when something has happened…the death of a fledgling in the field, etc? But we must wait and see. Personally I would love nothing more than a Valentine’s pip. We need some good news.

Shootings. Really? I live in a place where gun crime is almost non-existent compared to what it is south of our border with the US. Here is one person who is going to pay the price for shooting a Bald Eagle in the US. Let us hope the word gets out. He thought it was a hawk. Sorry, hawks are protected, too.

If-you-harm-a-bald-eagle-be-prepared-to-pay-a-steep-price-cleveland.com_Download

There are Bald Eagle nests that are doing very well this year. The single eaglets at the Captiva nest of Connie and Clive, sweet little Connick survived the first few days without much fish, to thrive.

B16 is the apple of Pa Berry and Missy’s life – adorable cuddle bun that one is.

Her name is Trey at the KNF-E1 nest of Louis and Anna and she – they will not take DNA but this is a huge eaglet and could well be a female compared to the two earlier males, Kistachie and Kincaid. Three healthy beautiful eagles. Valentine and Nugget are getting on with their lives at the KNF-E3 nest of Alex and Andria. These two have benefited from fish tests! What can we say about Superbeaks? Huge eaglets Pearl and Tico will fledge but the fact that the nest railings are falling due to wing flapping scares me.

So there is some good news amongst the not so good…and I have not touched on all the nests. It seems to be balancing out.

This is a reminder: Tomorrow is the official day to suggest names for the Cal Falcons ‘New Guy’. Go to the Cal Falcons FB or Twitter page and put in your name and why…be convincing. Must be associated with Cal-B. There have been several responses to the use of the word ‘comfortable’ as in Annie looks ‘comfortable’ with the New Guy. Some say ‘much more than comfortable.’

The challenges that our raptors have now and will have in the coming decade and then the next one are going to be huge. It is up to everyone collectively and governments and companies to stop with the status quo, get some good minds working, and take a stand and don’t back down. Create a better world for all living things. All living things.

Coming Up this week: Why you do not want to buy birds at pet stores. The new hawk streaming cams. Where do birds go to die. I was going to write about one of these today but, events over took that. It will be towards the end of the week. Stay turned.

Take care everyone. My whole family, the garden critters and Missy and Lewis thank you for the love that you have for our feathered friends. Happy Valentine’s Day! Please keep our three nests in your most positive thoughts and send them well wishes – M15, 21 and 22 at SWFlorida, Jackie and Shadow and whatever is going on at BBV, and Zoe. See you soon!

If you would like to join our family of lovers of all things with feathers but mostly those big Apex predators, please sign up for our daily newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time.

Thank you to the following for their notes, their posts, their videos, and streaming cams where I took my screen captures that make up this blog today: ‘J’, NEFL-AEF, SWFlorida and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SWFL and D Pritchett, Bandicam and SWFlo and D Pritchett, IWS, Heidi Mc and Falcon Cam, Holly Parsons and Orange, Australia Peregrine Falcons FB, Volcano Discovery, Los Angeles Times, FOBBV, Cleveland.com, Window to Wildlife, Berry College Eagles, Superbeaks, and Cal Falcons.

Fireworks frighten the wits out of Diamond…Monday in Bird world

13 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone,

The weather on the Canadian Prairies continues to be mild. The snow is slowly melting and the ice that sometimes forms at the edge of our roof where the heat escapes is disappearing, if it was there in the first place. The birds continue to sing a slightly different tune like they did yesterday and if I had not seen the forecast for colder weather to hit, one might believe that spring was around the corner. And of course, it is! Right?

As far as kittens go, they are now six months old. The tufts on Missy’s ears can be seen if you squint. She is now 8 lbs and 6 oz. and her tail looks more and more like that of a raccoon daily. Hence, the name Maine Coon. I don’t know if you can tell but her hair is thick and wooly, various layers to help these cats keep warm in the cold. Hopefully she will never experience it! I don’t know how she came to be alone, only days old, under a truck and taken to the Humane Society and then…adopted by us. Well, we are so happy she is part of the family!

Nests are very busy. The Ospreys that have eggs are incubating them. Still eagles laying eggs…Tico and Pearl growing…intruders that are protecting nests. It has been a busy few days. Watching the NCTC nest of Bella and Smitty and hoping for egg 1 of the 2023 season…it will be her first egg in two years. Injury and female intruder complicated matters so that there was no clutch at this nest last year.

First up. Loud bangs and lights – fireworks set off in the night – terrified Diamond at the Orange scrape on the Charles Sturt University campus in Australia. Cilla Kinross is investigating and has called security. Have a look at Heidi Mc’s video from all of the cams. And remember this whenever you hear anyone thinking of celebrations with fireworks. They need to be outlawed.

Oh, I hope that Indigo and Xavier are alright. Thanks HMc!

Making News:

A Red Kite fell out of the sky…discovered to have several shotgun pellets in its body at rehab. Here is the story.

More at Raptor Persecution UK:

Shot red kite found injured in Greenwich Park, London

Most of us know this but, sometimes we need a little reminder and a nudge – the restorative power of nature! A walk in a forest, a stroll around the block, a trip to a park…sitting and listening to the sounds of birds. It is magic.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/12/prescribing-nature-the-restorative-power-of-a-simple-dose-of-outdoors?CMP=share_btn_link

At the Nests:

Sadly, Jak and Audacity have lost their 4th egg to breakage. The root cause is the lingering DDT (DDE) in the region, the food, the fish – the Channel Islands. Some areas were exposed to more than others. This couple has not had a good history – so sad for the – but the outlook is not good as this has obviously impacted Audacity’s ability to form hard shells. Here is a report discussing the dumping of the DDT in the Channel Islands that helps us understand that dumping these horrific toxins in the sea was more extensive than was thought.

History-of-DDT-ocean-dumping-off-LA-coast-even-worse-than-expected-EPA-finds Download

At the nest of Shadow and Jackie, Shadow spent the majority of the day incubating the eggs. He came in with a fish for Jackie and there was some concern about the eggs being left on and off during the day several times including 0919, 1029, 1151, 1439, 1541, etc. Some people thought that Jackie was missing but she isn’t. Is she getting some much needed time off the nest before she is brooding eaglets? With pip watch on a couple of days away, I wonder if this marvellous couple can hear their eaglets.

There was some question about how long eggs can be left and still have the eaglets be viable. If you recall, Milda left her eggs unattended in cold weather in Latvia for approximately 5 hours. No one thought the eggs would be viable but, yes, the two eaglets hatched sadly to later succumb to starvation. (It was a bad year for Milda the White-tailed Eagle as she had lost her mate right after laying her eggs). The on and off for these two for the past couple of days should not be a problem if we consider the situation at the Drube WTE nest of Milda.

Jackie mantling her fish at 12:55.

Rolling those two precious eggs at 15:15.

One of the times the eggs were left the longest, 1541-1749.

Official pip watch as stated by FOBBV is 15 February. Here is the daily recap with all the comings and goings as kept by FOBBV:

Connick is growing and growing and is one of the sweetest little eaglets. Nice fish coming on the nest and even a family meal together with Mum Connie and Dad Clive.

If you have been falling all the happenings at the SWFlorida Eagle nest, you will know by now that the Frequent Female Visitor has been protecting the territory and chasing away other intruders. Several have remarked that this behaviour reminds them of M15 when he arrived as the Frequent Male Visitor. M15 wound up helping Harriet look after E6.

The highlights of Sunday at the SWFlorida nest are – E22 did a fantastic mantling job on a nice piece of fish that he snatched and grabbed from the first delivery at 10:04. It is the first time that E22 has been seen mantling.

Due to the lack of deliveries the past couple of days, 21 is feeling a bit peckish and decided to beak 22 just to remind the younger sibling who eats first. Well, M15 fed both eaglets, 21 first, manoeuvring that fish so that 22 got a feeding, too. It was a good sized fish. Both ate and both had crops of various sizes. Well done, Dad.

E22 is being submissive while 21 eats first.

This is E22 at 1040. It looks like a pretty good crop to me.

The presence of the Frequent Female Visitor is disturbing M15’s ability to hunt. At 14:44 I noted that no other prey items had been delivered.

At 1532 M15 is on the nest and pulls half a fish from the nesting material. It is not entirely clear how much fish each eaglet received. I continue to remind myself that Dad needs to eat..if the eaglets are hungry then imagine that Dad is too.

22 held back and was rather submissive. In the end, it had some fish. Both ate today. Not as much as those days when 5 or 6 deliveries were coming in but they both ate. This is important. 21 will stay peckish and peck if it senses that food is scarce. It is a survival mechanism. All of us know this and we also will recall that this nest is quite calm when adequate prey is coming in. Send positive wishes. With everything going on, M15 needs all our love!

E22 found some fish scraps and is enjoying them.

The eaglets are hungry. Dad is hungry. Let us hope that more fish come to the nest or a nice big rabbit today…All intruders need to disappear!

Martin and Rosa at the Dulles Greenway nest in Virginia have their third egg. It was laid today. Congratulations to this extremely popular eagle couple.

Just a reminder! One more day and suggestions open for Annie’s ‘New Guy’ at Cal Falcons. Needs to be related to Cal-Berkeley and should be male – since we obviously know the gender! Search for Cal Falcons on FB or Twitter.

As we near Valentine’s Day, we can start looking for the arrival of Rosie at the Osprey nest in SF Bay. And speaking of Ospreys, ‘A’ wonders when the ospreys will start arriving in the UK. Well, ‘A’, Blue 33 and Maya are often the first to arrive at Rutland Water around 26 March. 6 weeks or so away. The time will pass quickly! I see no news on Zoe’s transmission. Get into cell range, Zoe! Please.

Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, announcements, and streaming cams that make up my blog: Heidi Mc and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, South Essex Wildlife Hospital, Raptor Persecution UK, The Guardian, Phys.Org, FOBBV, Window to Wildlife, SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Sassa Bird and Dulles-Greenaway Eagles, and Cal Falcons.

Super Dad…M15 pulls off 6 feedings in 4 hours!

8 February 2022

It is difficult not to be over excited about the good things happening on the Southwest Florida Bald Eagle nest. By the time that E21 and E22 fledge, I will probably have called M15 ‘extraordinary’, ‘tremendous’, ‘life saving’ more than a few hundred times. This morning, Wednesday 8 February, six days after his mate Harriet went missing, M15 shows us precisely what a male Bald Eagle can do as a ‘single dad’.

As many of you know, my current research project is actually siblicide – on osprey nests, not eagles. I am interested in the nest survivors of beaking – and so, after Harriet’s disappearance and subsequent fear of our losing 22, I began to pay closer attention to whether or not M15 could ‘right’ this nest. He certainly has and there is so much that can be learned from a single adult – a male – caring for his eaglets. We all need to focus on what he is doing and the impact that it is having on the nest.

This morning in the space of four hours there were six feedings.

The first feeding came in at 08:23:10. It looked like road kill, some fur and some fleshy bits. E21 ate all of it. In the meantime, 22 went over to check out some of the nest overs.

At 09:01:25, M15 is back with what appears to be a fish. It is very difficult to tell. E21 ate the greater portion and then 22 moves up. Was it too late? Apparently. 22 did find some fish tail and is pecking away at it. But no worries…

M15 is back at 09:25:49 with a fish and 22 got it all.

Calm on a Bald Eagle nest.

The fourth item came in at 10:13:20. M15 appears to be distracted. Are there intruders? Looks who is eating.

The fifth prey item comes in at 11:12:03.

Dad is watching and listening. 22 went up to eat first, he got a few bites and then 21 decides he wants to remind him who is dominant. 21 eats a few bites.

Now remember that 21 is actually full from those earlier feedings. 22 moves up and eats.

The item is gone by 11:20:05 when Dad leaves. 22 checks out to see if there are a few nest overs.

At 12:32:40, M15 flies in with a really nice whole fish. What was interesting was that when Dad landed with the food both eaglets paused. No one rushed up to get fed. For a second, 21 leans over and it looks like 22 will go into submission but doesn’t.

And this is where it gets extraordinary. M15 flips the fish over so that it is actually closer to 22 than it is to 21.

At this point, 12:34 you. can clearly see that 21 still has a large crop. 22 doesn’t despite eating earlier. 21 starts playing with some fish parts while Dad shares the entire fish with 22.

At 12:54, 22 is so full that he has to lay down. He still eats a few more bites, settles on the rails nest to 21, and then turns back to see what Dad left when he flew off. Looks like a bit of a tail.

M15 flies up to the branch at 12:58:20 after he has no more takers for food. He left some fish. He must be hungry but – he left it for the eaglets. Incredible.

Whenever I see a nest where there is potential siblicide – and let us not forget that 21 had placed fear in 22 so that last Sunday each of us worried if 22 would make it – this is how you prevent it. Lots of prey deliveries. Lots of them. Get the dominant one full even if it is fur from roadkill and some fish and fill up the non-dominant chick.

M15 is in charge of what is going on in this nest. He is taking advantage of everything he can find to feed these eaglets. Personally he is doing better than many nests with two adults. We should all give him a big round of applause. M15 really is Super Dad.

Thank you for being here with me. You will hear from me again tomorrow but, for now celebrate the great things that are happening on this nest. You might well never see anything like this again in your lifetime! Be joyful.

Thank you to SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures.

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M15 still going strong…eggs dropping in nests…it is Wednesday in Bird world

8 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone!

Oh, the sky is grey with heavy clouds after having beautiful sun yesterday. The temperature is an absolutely balmy -1 C. The Conservatory is warm, the kittens are playing and, surprisingly, there are few birds at the feeders today, so far. It is the second day that I have been totally relaxed about the SWFlorida Eagle nest. Harriet has now been missing for 6 days with no sign of her. People have been searching all over the greater Fort Myers area and, of course, the Pritchett family and friends have searched and searched their property. She is, after all, a member of their family along with M15 and the eaglets. M15 continues to do an extraordinary job of caring for his family. I am finding it hard to concentrate on anything else, actually – including a new Dorie Greenspan cookbook that has arrived full of wonderful images of baked goods!

On Tuesday, M15 had an early feed of what appeared to be roadkill or a turtle. Then he flew to the nest at 12:13:02 with a fish in his talons. It looked like a Ladyfish again. He must have a great source of these and all the Florida fishing sites say they are plentiful.

Of course, 21 ate first. 22 kept its head down watching and waiting and in the end needed a bit of coaxing by M15 to eat. M15 moved the fish, and moved up to 22 even moving his beak right over. After a short time, 22 began to relax. I do think that 22 has won the ‘snatch and grab award’ over Rocket at the NEFlorida nest last year. 22 got some nice big bites and by the time the food was gone, around 12:42, he had a good crop! M15 was back up on his branch watching over the territory and protecting his and Harriet’s eaglets right after. I do hope Dad is eating, too.

21 watches but does nothing. Food security back on the nest.

What a beautiful picture. It could only be better if Harriet was there. Everyone is missing her.

It is 15:04:21 and M15 just flew off the nest to go hunting for food for him and the eaglets. You can see his shadow on the ground as he leaves the nest tree.

M15 returned looking rather wet at 15:31:14.

He flew down to the nest with the eaglets at 16:17:47. E21 was ready to eat but, M15 thought he was going to have some food, too. 22 eased his way around, a little late to the table, and got a few bites including snatching the very last large piece. He didn’t get enough for me to do a dance but, I am not worried. 22 had enough earlier if something else comes in, great. Maybe not. Both him and 21 can wait til tomorrow. I saw no beaking and no animosity on the nest between the eaglets. What I did see was M15 offering some bites to 22 after he had moved over nearer the table. Good job, Dad.

Well, there was another feeding and I can tell you that E22 ate for more than 8 minutes. At the beginning, M15 fed 21. But 21 was already full. The bites were small with long pauses. M15 kept taking a bit, holding it to the left for 22 to see it. Finally, 22 turned around. Did the snatch and grab and then got comfortable. At the end of the feeding, 17:40:51, 22 was practically pushing Dad off the nest rail wanting the last of the goodies from the head. M15 was hungry, too, and ate. Thankfully. The feeding lasted from 17:27:53 to 17:40:51. Both eaglets went to bed with big crops. Sweet.

It was a magnificent feeding. I will probably say it a hundred times: M15 has made a concerted effort to include 22 in this feeding and in several others over the past few days. 22 has gone to bed full and content. Life is good.

In the video, notice how 22 is facing towards the rim of the nest with one eye on Dad and then, gradually, he will begin to turn counter clockwise ending up right in front of dad and beside 21. He is still aware of 21, still aware of the earlier beaking days ago now. Once he turns his head quickly thinking 21 will strike. It doesn’t. 22 is quickly back at Dad’s beak – literally under Dad’s chin.

Leave it up to 22 to do the clean up after Dad has flown up to the branch.

Proud Dad!

He has lost his mate of 8 years – 8 years Harriet has been his world and the Es that they have raised together. He is grieving but, he has set that aside to take great care of their children. He has a job to do and he is doing it. I know that we would like nothing better than for Harriet to fly in to that nest.

This is a good, short interview with the Director of the Audubon Centre for Birds of Prey near Fort Myers on WINK news.

Liberty at the Redding Eagle nest in California that she shares with her mate, Guardian, is on the nest. She is quite hot and panting. It looks like we could have a first egg soon.

Liberty fooled us!

Oh, I have missed check in on Indigo. Xavier had a well prepared prey item for his son this morning but instead of Indigo screaming in fast, Xavier had to wave it around for a bit. No worries. Indigo is always hungry!

Checking on the Osprey nests, there is no egg at the Achieva nest of Diane and Jack as of 1800 Tuesday.

Diane is tired and almost falling over standing up to sleep at Achieva. Will this be the night?

Yes! Around 0650 today (Wednesday), Diane laid her first egg at the Achieva nest in St Petersburg, Florida. Now for Captiva!

Angus has just brought a fish to the nest and Mabel is waiting to leave with it to eat because there are intruders about including a Brown Pelican flying over.

Trying to get confirmation that the second egg at the Venice Golf and Country Club was laid on Tuesday. Ospreys not giving away a thing!

Ron is taking good care of Rita. There was some worry about a stick that he brought in – hoping all is well with that egg! (It looks fine at the end of the video by HMc). I noticed he brought something in for Rose for lunch and ‘H’ has confirmed it was a pigeon. Ron also did some incubation duties. Well done you two.

Rose is really vocal when she sees Ron coming with food! “Ron, couldn’t you have plucked it?”

Some images from the Big Bear Valley nest of Jackie and Shadow. We are one week away from pip watch. Talk about exciting!

A three ‘note’? conversation from Jackie to Shadow – eek, eek, eeeeew. OK. I am tone deaf. Wish I could understand ‘eagle’.

A cute video of Nugget interaction with Alex at the KNF-E3 nest of Alex, Andria, Nugget, and Valentine. You might recall that there were 15 fish brought in by Alex a few days ago! And don’t forget, the names will go up for voting for Anna and Louis’s little one on Friday.

Last, a peek at Zoe. Thanks ‘H’ for giving me the head’s up about a new posting with comments by Ian Falkenberg, included below. Zoe has flown farther than any other fledgling osprey – more than a 1000 km! She is fishing around Mount Hope and I hope catching whoppers. What an extraordinary osprey she is. As several of you have commented, if I can paraphrase, ‘To think that we thought she would never be able to fly she was eating so much fish!’ She proved us all wrong.

Martin and Rosa at Dulles-Greenaway have their second egg. President and Lotus have moved to the second nest and it is believed they have an egg…eggs dropping into nests everywhere!!!!!!!!

Making News:

How many times have you seen the ads promising weed free lawns? or have seen individuals spraying their lawns? or companies? Those pesticides are killing our song birds! Please tell your neighbours and friends, family members that there are alternatives – one of which is just leaving everything alone!

Garden-pesticides-are-contributing-to-British-songbird-decline-study-finds-Birds-The-Guardian Download

A shout out to someone who stopped to help a hawk and maybe, give it a second or third chance at life! You be that person one day. You will remember the moment you help an animal all your life.

To Watch, Listen, and Participate:

Christian Sasse is hosting a live Facebook discussion about Harriet. The UTC stands for Universal Time. This came through my FB feed but I cannot find it anywhere in terms of a link to send you. I will keep trying.

This is another poster with a different time. 7pm Mountain Standard Time. LOL. The World Time Buddy says this then is 8pm in Winnipeg, 9pm in Toronto, 10pm in Halifax. Check your American time zones to these.

Please have any questions you might have on a piece of paper. You should be able to keyboard them into the rolling chat.

To Watch:

This is a 13 minute and 47 second documentary on the restoration of the Bald Eagle to the Channel Islands. Did you know that in 1980 there were no Bald Eagles on the Channel Islands? The footage shows the extraordinary extent to which the staff of the Institute for Wildlife Studies went to in order to reestablish the eagle population after its decimation by DDT. You can even see Dr Sharpe hanging from a helicopter switching a dummy egg in a nest with a nestling! Enjoy.

Thank you so much for being with me. As you can see I am still watching – with great admiration – the effort that the single dad, M15 is giving to his eaglets. Those eaglets are being fed. He is sensitive to when 21 has a big crop and holds back, gives 21 tiny bites because it isn’t as hungry as 22 and waits, almost baiting 22. It is brilliant. I am so impressed with M15. Sorry…it was only 6 days ago we wondered if 22 would even be alive by Sunday! 22 is getting some confidence. Yes, 22 is still afraid but certainly calm has settled over this nest in SW Florida. Like ‘A’, I would like to see these two be great buddies again. It has been traumatic and now life is become more normalised.

Take care of yourselves. See you soon!

If you would like to receive my blog in your inbox, please subscribe below. Normally there is only one mailing per day unless there are extraordinary circumstances. You can unsubscribe at any time. We would love to have you with us.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, announcements and streaming cams that make up my screen captures and blog: ‘H’ and ‘A’, SWFlorida Eagles and D Pritchett, FORE, Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Achieva Credit Union, Window to Wildlife, Venice Golf and Country Club Ospreys, WRDC, HeidiMc and the WRDC, FOBBV, Friends of Osprey, Rhonda A and the KNF-E3 nest, The Guardian, Bobby Horvath, and the Institute of Wildlife Studies.

E22’s late Sunday afternoon crop…it is Monday in Bird World

6 February 2022

Good Morning Everyone.

More than 3600 people were watching. Around the world, tears of joy, amidst a strange almost disbelief, were flowing as M15 fed his youngest eaglet, E22. With each bite, 22’s crop seemed to get bigger and bigger. It was a sight that we have not seen since last week before his Mum, Harriet, disappeared after leaving the nest in the late afternoon on Thursday. We hoped for the best, prepared for the worst and when everything good came together just after 1600, none of us could hold back the joy.

The day did not start as hopeful. The pictures below are from the first fish feeding. 21 got all of that feeding but there was half a fish left on the nest. 22 managed to peck at some of the fish left on the nest.

22 even sat on it trying to get food. He is just not old enough and he was not strong enough to clasp down and pull out the fish but it did appear that he got some flakes.

That half fish was left on the nest. M15 flew in with another fish. He fed 21 til its crop was about to pop. Because 21 had eaten and eaten and eaten earlier, when it got full this time, it went over to the rim of the nest and went to sleep. E21 was watching and listening. He moved around to the bottom of the nest close to Dad. Dad leans in to offer 22 food. 22 is very frightened and he is starving. He used the technique of snatch and grab, snatch and grab in order to get as much fish into his body as he can in a short period of time all the while worrying that 21 will come over and start beaking him. But, it didn’t happen. M15 coaxes his youngest eaglet. The longer 22 is fed – and it was a long feeding in excess of 14 minutes (was it 20?), 22 begins to relax more, moves closer to Dad. M15 beams. He has done his job. Both of his eaglets are alive. Harriet would be proud.

I videotaped the first 5 minutes of the feeding. See how he has moved around the nest and how M15 brings food to his baby. Most of you will remember that M15, in the past, had always managed to help the underdog on the nest. I always wondered if maybe he wasn’t that underdog himself. Today, though, he pulled the Rabbit out of the Hat and created a miracle. E22 finished the feeding with a large crop. He will not die today! — And 22 has the instincts of a survivor. Eating anything on the nest regardless of what it is – fur or bone. Eagles have to do that in the wild. Watching and waiting. Sometimes the opportunity doesn’t arrive. It did today at 16:03.

Here is 5 minutes of that very long feeding!

What a difference when 22 feels ‘safe’ enough to get up close with Dad and eat. You can almost sense that 22 has forgotten about 21 fast asleep on the other side. That fish must have tasted delicious!

The man of the hour, M15.

The sun is setting on M15 and the Es in Fort Myers Florida. It will be the 4th night without Harriet. Send this family all your good wishes.

M15 also had to defend the nest. Lady Hawk caught it! Thanks ‘A’.

There is a lovely article with some of the history of the Pritchett eagles.

Harriet-the-eagle-has-gone-missing-Search-continues-for-iconic-SWFL-star Download

We must wait and have patience. It is hard to do. 21 is not going to immediately be nice and let 22 eat. Do not expect that. 22 on the other hand has some food and some strength and did, indeed, get enough food for the next 2 days. M15 also needs to eat. He has to be both Mum and Dad – a big job and he needs to care for himself.

Making News:

The Stellar’s Eagle is back in Maine.

Three Kakapo are celebrating hatch day today – with three names!

From the Nests:

There is happiness in other part of Bird World and today, we are going to focus on them, for the most part.

Zoe seems to be moving! If the fishing were good at the ponds that Marge located, would Zoe leave? So what is up with our girl? Now I just wonder if Mum and Dad shouldn’t get the fish ready for their girl?

Rosa and Martin at the Dulles-Greenway Bald Eagle nest in Virginia have their first egg of the 2023 season. Congratulations!

More first eggs – this time at the Osprey platform at the Venice Golf and Country Club in Florida.

At the Webster, Texas Bald Eagle nest Ringo is now out of the egg cup and crawling up to the table. Very good, Ringo!

It is always a good day at Superbeaks. Muhlady has brought in a huge fish in the last few minutes and Pearl and Tico have eaten well all morning (it is 1400 in Florida on Sunday). Just look at those beautiful wings. I hesitated to watch this nest and am so glad I did. It is on the top of my ‘to watch list’ for 2023-24.

Beautiful juveniles. Long curved beaks to tear the prey look as if they have been spray painted ombre, yellow smiles, piercing black eyes, and dark espresso feathers mark these eaglets as ‘juveniles’. So today the difference between a ‘juvenile’ eaglet and a sub-adult eaglet is age. A juvenile is an eaglet enjoying its first plumage. Remember those soft little white/grey downy nestlings. Well, that was replaced by the plumage you see below. An immature or a sub-adult is older than one year and has replaced this juvenile plumage for ‘immature’ plumage. When Pearl and Tico grow in new feathers next year, they will actually begin to turn a lighter brown. Sometimes the beaks will begin to change colour a bit. It is when they are 2 and a half that we should see more yellow on the beak and much more white beginning to appear, large white flecks, over their body. They will not, of course, have the pure yellow beak and white head with dark espresso body until they are adults at 5 years.

It is a gorgeous day in Florida. There are Brown and American White Pelicans in the water around the Captiva Bald Eagle nest of Clive, Connie, and Connick. Simply gorgeous. Oh, I cannot wait for spring and the pelicans return to Manitoba! About a third of North America’s American White Pelicans spend their late spring and summer with us on the Canadian Prairies.

Oh, Connick! You look like you are having ‘fish’ dreams.

What a happy little eaglet.

Little B16 is good. That eaglet is really growing…I love how Pa and Missy are so loving and caring for this wee one. You just know it is so special.

Sunday evening they both wanted to feed the baby.

The weather around Big Bear Lake has gone from calm, to blustery with what sounded like blowing snow or ice pellets, to sunny. Jackie is being very vigilant about those two eggs…9 days folks.

Turn the volume down! Indigo is home!!!!!!

Oh, it is chilly at the nest of Bonnie and Clyde on Farmer Derek’s property. Amazing camouflage. Could you see Bonnie in the nest if you didn’t know she was there?

I have been, sometimes, worried about Nugget at the KNF-E3 nest. Even with so many fish on the nest, Nugget will hold back if Valentine is up eating. Happy to say they both seem to be doing quite well. Valentine’s juvenile feathers are really coming in and you can tell the two apart easily. Today, Valentine stood on the rails!

The Norths have been at Decorah North today working on the nest, eating fish, and looking out over their territory.

The identical behaviour is taking place at Decorah, the Bald Eagle couple near the trout fishery.

I have not reported on Gabby with everything going on at the opposite side of the State of Florida. She is great. Just look at these images of her and her big crop! What a beautiful female.

You could fool me into thinking that this is that amazing male with the grey head. Handsome. Did he return for a visit? I don’t see a nick on the right side under the cere. Not V3. Interesting.

He is hanging around the nest…are we in for another season of ‘As the Nest Turns?’

It has been a good day. There are a lot more nests, eggs being rolled, eggs thinking about being laid. The relief at seeing M15 feed E22 for what was a good 15 or so minutes was overwhelming. There had to be tears flowing around the world. Many had given up and I have to admit that I did not believe that 22 was going to make it without some kind of miracle. Well, that miracle came. So I am going to stop here and just ask you to continue sending the most positive wishes you can to the SW Florida Bald Eagle nest of M15 and the Es.

Thank you for being with me today. Take care. See you soon.

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Thank you to the following for their posts, tweets, videos, and streaming cams that make up my screen captures and blog: ‘A’, SWFlorida Bald Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Lady Hawk and SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, News-Press, Joan Herzog and MAINE Birds FB, Kakapo Recovery, Friends of Osprey, Dulles-Greenaway Eagle Cam, Cathy Cohen and Ospreys (Pandion Haliaetus), Paul White and the Webster Texas Eagle Cam, Superbeaks, Window to Wildlife, Berry College, FOBBV, Elain and the Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, Farmer Derek, KNF-E3, NEFL-AEF, Raptor Resource Project and Explore.org

Category Archives: sibling rivalry in eagles

Angus brings Flo 8 fish… in Bird World

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Ervie, SWFlorida, more eggs…Tuesday in Bird World

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E22 steals fish and self-feeds, Big Red switches site of nest?…It is Monday in Bird World

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Death spiral at Centreport, food fest at SWFlorida…Friday in Bird World

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Falcons return to scrape, E22 gets some food and flaps wing at sib…Wednesday in Bird World

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Owl Strike at SWFlorida, Earthquakes, Fireworks, DDT…2023 is getting off to a terrible start for Bird World

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Fireworks frighten the wits out of Diamond…Monday in Bird world

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Super Dad…M15 pulls off 6 feedings in 4 hours!

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M15 still going strong…eggs dropping in nests…it is Wednesday in Bird world

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E22’s late Sunday afternoon crop…it is Monday in Bird World

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